Gaojia Opera blends solemnity with humor
Gaojia Opera, one of the five operas of Fujian province, is at once solemn and humorous. It carries the philosophy that ugliness is beauty.
In 2006, it was included in the first round of national intangible cultural heritage representative projects.
Cendou village in Shijing town of Nan'an is the birthplace of Gaojia Opera. Nine out of 10 families are involved in the art form.
During its heyday, there were nearly 30 Gaojia Opera troupes in the village, and almost every household had someone performing or working on performances.
With the changes of the times, Gaojia Opera is facing difficulties. In 2015, Cendou set up a Gaojia Opera training institute, which recruits students from Cendou Primary School to learn Gaojia Opera in their spare time.
